Right before Mercury stations Rx in Gemini there will be an interesting little mix of energies. It will test your abilities to balance personal relationships with something bigger.

Venus in Cancer will square the North Node (in Libra)/South Node (in Aries) and trine Neptune in Pisces at 9 degrees, from May 13th to 16th. Not a huge influence, but worth noting if you have anything from 8 to 10 degrees of the Cardinal signs, or Pisces.

Anything that squares the Nodes is an issue that needs to be resolved, before you can progress from the South Node (something that needs to be completed) to the North Node (something that needs to be developed further). Venus in Cancer signifies security based wants/needs that will trigger the issue. You're moving from me-first initiatives (South Node in Aries) to compromise (North Node in Libra). You're taking what you started, and developing it so others can experience it. This all takes place in the context of Aries/Libra in your chart.

But Venus in Cancer will stick a situation front of you that challenges your forward movement. Cancer (in your chart) will be where you experience the tension around you (Aries) versus them (Libra). Maybe you want more than someone can give you. Maybe you're not being nurturing enough. Maybe you're forcing your "love" onto someone else. The sticking point will involve Cancer issues, and you'll be looking for a way to translate it all into something more objective and balanced. Cancer is the halfway point between Aries and Libra; you're not completely focused on yourself anymore, but you still need to learn how to honour the needs of others.

Yes, even though Venus rules the Libra North Node. This just emphasizes the fact that you'll have to pay attention to your needs and their needs. You may be wanting a hug, but what do they want? How can you both feel satisfied? If both parties can't achieve satisfaction, you may need to exit gracefully, or agree to disagree. Even if there's an ending, Libra says it's important to keep it civil.

Neptune in Pisces will be there to assist, with a flowing trine to Venus. Despite its empathy, Neptune depersonalizes things, taking love from personal (or suffocating) to something more universal. With Neptune, it's never just about you. Neptune can help you transcend your immediate vulnerabilities and glimpse the bigger picture. And yet...Neptune will inconjunct the North Node. Neptune's love for all doesn't quite blend with Libra's one on one dynamic. So there will have to be an adjustment between transcendent ideals (Neptune) and personal relationships (Libra). Don't deny the ideal, but find a way to make it doable.

Here's how this might look in real life.

You're struggling with the tension between nurturing your goals and your partner's needs. They want more attention, you love them, but you're trying to train for an upcoming triathlon. It's stressful, because how are you supposed to nurture your ambitions and your partner's feelings? And what if your partner leaves you because you're not loving them enough? But this triathlon is really important to you.

Then, you read an article on ____ philosophies, about how we all suffer, and searching for meaning through someone else inevitably causes sorrow. Or something like that. You don't understand it completely, but the idea that we're all part of this endless search for something beyond ourselves helps you step back. Your partner just needs to deal with it and recognize that we all suffer! Right?

The catch is...you're in a relationship with another human being. Maybe you don't need to step back all the way. Maybe you just need to step back far enough to recognize that you each have your own set of desires that are equally legitimate. If they love you, they won't abandon you because you're nurturing something that's important to you, as long as you let them know that you're loving them the best way you can, for now. Is there anyway they can support you and be part of the training process? Once the marathon's over, you'll make it up to them. And you will make it up to them, if you want to complete your Libra North Node lesson (they give to you, and you give back something equal in return).